SC rejects pleas seeking permission to allow manufacture of firecrackers containing barium, joint crackers

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected petitions seeking permission to allow the manufacture and sale of firecrackers containing barium and joint fireworks.

A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh said the court has reiterated its 2018 ban and directions on bursting of conventional firecrackers to curb pollution.

"We are dismissing two applications seeking the manufacture and sale of firecrackers containing barium and joint firecrackers. We have not interfered with the 2018 directions and reiterated them," the bench said, adding that the authorities concerned have to comply with the directions.

On September 14, while reserving its verdict on a plea seeking a ban on firecrackers containing barium to curb pollution, including in Delhi-NCR, the bench asked the city police not to issue temporary licences for sale and storage of any kind of firecrackers, saying when the Delhi government has banned all firecrackers, no distinction can be made on the basis of whether those are green or not.

The top court banned conventional firecrackers in 2018 and only allowed the bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.